Nick_Tarleton comments on Anti-Akrasia Reprise - Less Wrong

5 Post author: dreeves 16 November 2010 11:16AM

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Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 17 November 2010 07:17:51PM 0 points [-]

There's also evidence that holding that model is what makes willpower expendable. (Of course, the alternative is some people have limitless wills and other people have limited wills, and they know how they operate.)

The study you cite saw an effect from manipulating theories of willpower, so self-knowledge isn't all that's going on.

Comment author: Vaniver 17 November 2010 07:32:44PM 0 points [-]

The study you cite saw an effect from manipulating theories of willpower, so self-knowledge isn't all that's going on.

I mention the self-knowledge possibility because I think it possible that if there are people with limited willpower, they might be able to fake limitless willpower for a time (but not change themselves entirely). Even in that case, the obvious thing to do is pretend it's true until it fails, not hope for it to fail.